Biography of Rufus Thompson Haskins

Born at Rochester, Mass., December 29th, 1839. He is a son of Charles H. and Almira Haskins, the former born at Middleborough, Mass., January 28th, 1816, and the latter at Rochester, Mass., April 16th, 1818. R. T. Haskins lived on a farm until he was 15 years of age, then went on a whaling voyage in the bark ” Newton, Captain George Sherman, sailing from New Bedford. After a cruise of thirtyfour months the vessel was stove in the ice in the Okhotsk sea, and the crew reached home on various vessels about ten months later. Not discouraged by his first experience Mr. Haskins shipped again, this time as boatsteerer on the ship ” Onward,” Captain W. H. Allen. After three seasons in the same sea where the “Newton ” was stove, the ship reached port with 6,700 barrels of oil. Mr. Haskins next went as mate on a British merchant vessel on a voyage to Europe. On reaching home he shipped as third mate on the ship ” Onward ” with the same captain with whom -he made his previous whaling voyage. This voyage yielded 7,000 barrels of oil. After a few months at home Mr. Haskins shipped as mate of the same vessel on a voyage to the Arctic ocean, which yielded 5,500 barrels of oil. His next voyage was as mate of the ship ” Contest.” After 1,000 barrels of oil had been taken, the ship, with thirty-one others, was caught in the ice. All abandoned her, taking the small boats. The men cut and broke the ice for nearly twenty miles before reaching open water, and cruised forty miles further, when they were rescued and carried to the Sandwich islands. From there Mr. Haskins sailed to San Francisco and came home overland His next voyage was in the ship ” Jerry Pery ” to the Arctic ocean. On. this voyage they found the ship ” Helen Snow ” abandoned. Dividing the crew of the ” Pery,” Mr. Haskins took the ship in charge and after finishing the season in her, brought her to San Francisco.

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In 1867 Mr. Haskins joined Social Harmony Lodge, No. 7, F. & A. M., of Wareham, Mass. ‘When home from one of his voyages he married Mary Ellen Anthony, of Scotland, Conn., July 11th, 1867. In 1869 he bought the farm where he has resided since he retired from a seafaring life. In politics he has been an active republican, has held many town offices and in 1884 represented the town in the state legislature. His children are : Rufus C.. born July 24th, 1871; Leander 0., February 29th, 1876; Jessie A., July 13th, 18777; Flora M., November 26th, 1880, and Edith A., January 30th, 1884.